Groups and Teams

group: 2 or more freely interacting individuals who share norms, share goals, and have a common identity (management-directed)
team: small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (self-directed)

formal group: group assigned by organizations or its managers to accomplish specific goals
informal groups: group formed by people whose overriding purpose is getting together for friendship or a common interest

work teams: have a clear purpose that all members share
- usually permanent and members must give their complete commitment to the team’s purpose in order for the team to succeed
- ex: audit team
project teams: assembled to solve a particular problem or complete a specific task, such as brainstorming new marketing ideas for one of the company’s products
cross-functional teams: include members from different areas within an organization, such as finance, operations, and sales
self-managed teams: groups of workers who are given administrative oversight for their task domains
virtual teams: work together over time and distance via electronic media to combine efforts and achieve common goals

forming: process of getting oriented and getting acquainted
- “Why are we here?”
in this stage, leaders should focus on giving people time to become acquainted and socialize

storming: characterized by the emergence of individual personalities and roles and conflicts within the group
- “What’s my role here?”

norming: conflicts are resolved, close relationships develop, and unity and harmony emerge
- “What do others expect me to do?”

performing: members should concentrate on solving problems and completing the assigned tasks
- “How can I best perform my role?”